Threshold
by CM-Reider
Summary: SEQUEL. This is part two to my story 'The Pact'. 14 year old Spencer and his best friend 17 year old Riley are starting a new life after years in foster care. Have they finally left their abusive homes behind them? How can they heal, move past all they've suffered and learn to trust their new family? WARNINGS:: M rating. Mentions of child abuse, suicide and death. No slash!
1. Chapter 1

**WARNINGS:: Mentions of child abuse, suicide and death. Mild swearing throughout. No slash!**

 **(I do not own CBS, Criminal Minds or their characters. I just obsess and write tragic fanfiction about them.)**

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 **THRESHOLD**

 **Chapter 1: A New Home**

Spencer woke up to a hand gently shaking his shoulder. He looked to Riley with wide eyes. Fully alert and ready to run if the situation called for it. But when he saw Riley's expression, he felt less stressed. He was smiling. It was a careful smile. One without high expectations but with a glimmer of hope. Spencer then took in his surroundings to see what was causing Riley's expression.

They were sitting in the back of an SUV, with Agent Morgan in the driver's seat and JJ in the front passenger seat. They had just passed through a gate and were now pulling up to an average size house with a large porch and a two car garage. The property was surrounded by high hedges and trees could be seen beyond the house. As the gate closed behind them, there was a feeling of finality.

The car pulled forward next to another black SUV and stopped just in front of the garage doors. Agent Morgan stopped the car and both he and JJ looked back at the boys. Spencer immediately shied away and protectively crossed his arms in front of him. He looked out his window and pretended not to notice the other's silent exchange.

"Well, we're here." Morgan announced. "I think we'd better go take a look inside, don't you?"

Car doors slammed after two familiar figures got out of the other SUV. Agents Matthews and Hotchner walked to the front of the car. Riley unbuckled his seat belt and made to get out of the car. Spencer followed suit and removed his seat belt but when he reached for the door handle he froze.

Riley immediately noticed his hesitation and decided on gently grabbing the other boy's hand. Morgan gave Riley a small smile and he and JJ got out of the car and stood at the front with the others. Once they were alone, Spencer looked at his friend, his brother, and drew strength from his confidence. He took a deep breath and nodded just before they simultaneously opened their doors, releasing their hands in the process.

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 **TWO WEEKS EARLIER**

Matthews stood in the doorway of Spencer's hospital room with a light smile. "We have some things to talk about."

Garcia smiled and Riley suddenly looked very nervous.

"Hello Mr. Matthews." He said.

"How about we just stick to Matthews eh? None of that Mr. stuff." He laughed. Riley just nodded.

Matthews looked to the boy in the slightly raised hospital bed next to where Riley stood. Spencer was staring off into nothing, seemingly unaware of his arrival. "Hello Spencer. How are you feeling?" Matthews asked, taking a few slow steps toward the bed. Being careful not to get too close.

Spencer looked to Matthews with glassy eyes. He looked as if he'd melted onto the bed out of exhaustion and it was clear that his fever was still lingering. The boy let out a shaky sigh and nodded once, to which Matthews smiled.

"Well, if you boys are up for a chat, I'd like to run a few things by you and see what you think."

Riley looked to Spencer and moved to sit on the side of the bed with him. They both looked to Matthews and waited for him to continue. "I know you've spent years having no control over what happens to you. I want you to understand, that we aren't going to be making decisions FOR you. We won't be forcing you to go anywhere you don't want to or following through with any plans that you don't agree with. It's your life and you have a say now. Do you understand?"

Riley nodded his head in agreement. Spencer just stared. He'd heard similar speeches before and he would clearly need more convincing.

Matthews went on. "Agent Hotchner and I have worked things out with the state, so we have temporary custody of both of you until things have settled down. However…" He sent a glance Garcia's way and looked back to the boys. "…we would like to make our custody permanent. If you're willing."

Riley's lips parted in surprise. "Are you… saying you want to adopt us sir?" he asked cautiously.

Spencer's eyes were now wider and more focused.

Matthews chuckled at the 'sir'. "If you agree, yes."

"You would really change your lives for us?" Riley asked skeptically.

Garcia smiled. "Yes. We both would. You two deserve a fresh start and I know we would all be good for each other."

"It wont be easy," Matthews added. "but we want to help you, so that's what we plan on doing."

"Why?" All eyes looked to Spencer, surprised by the whispered question. His face was flat and expressionless, but under the surface genuine confusion showed in his eyes.

After a moment of silence, Garcia spoke. "You boys have lost so much… You've seen… and been through, so many bad things, and you hurt so much and I just want to make it all go away." She was talking fast, rushing past the emotion she felt.

Spencer sighed and shook his head in disbelief, looking away from the agents. He took in a rattled breath and in a low voice said, "M-my first foster parents… said they w-wanted to help me, but they didn't…. They were nice…. at first."

This is the most Spencer had spoken to them. Whether his willingness to speak was due to the drugs or the fever didn't matter. They were pleased that Spencer was taking part in the discussion, but the meaning behind his words did not go unnoticed. Simply put, both of the boys were afraid that after being put into someone's care, their dark sides would be reviled and pain would be enviable. As it always seemed to be.

"I hate to say it, but there's not much you can say to make us feel safe." Riley started. "I do believe you when you say you want to help us, but… things change. How do we know you won't back out when things get rough?"

Again there was quiet.

This time Matthews rushed in to take on the silence. "We've both been in similar positions as the two of you. Eventually someone stepped up and changed everything for the better. We would never throw that away. In fact, we want to share it. The feeling of being loved, and wanted… it saved both our lives and it can save yours too. It's time for someone to give you what you've always deserved to have. As for things getting rough, it's nothing we aren't used to. And we have plenty of support."

Garcia added, "We understand that you don't trust us yet. But you'll be safe and we can make you happy. Please, please let us show you."

Riley's eyes were welled with tears, and Spencer was looking down at his lap, his face hidden behind chestnut hair.

The others waited for a response until an unidentifiable sound came from his direction, and his shoulders started to tremble. At first the adults in the room worried that something was seriously wrong. But a few moments later, their concern turned to relief.

Spencer looked back up. He was crying, but a small smile pulled at his features. It was clear that he was afraid to hope and yet he still just barely nodded his head. The boy's eyes met and Riley let out a quiet laugh, nodding his head as well. After he let a few relived tears slip past his eyelids, Riley looked to the adults and said, "Okay. We're in."

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 **PRESENT**

Riley and Spencer walked up to the front of the house where the adults stood waiting for them.

"Hello boys." Hotch greeted from the porch. Matthews was standing between Morgan and JJ with a smile on his face. "Ready to check it out?", he asked.

Riley nodded in agreement and Spencer followed closely behind him. Together they all walked up the stairs past where Hotch was standing and entered into the house.

They stepped onto polished hardwood floors and were shown around the first level of the house. It was more spacious than they anticipated, but the open concept made it seem comfortable. A pleasant smell hit them as they entered the kitchen to see Garcia pulling cookies out of the oven. Rossi stood at the counter on the other side of her, pressing home made pasta noodles.

"Ah! There are our guests of honor." Rossi said. "Welcome!"

Garcia turned to see them and excitedly rushed over. "You're here!" She barely stopped herself from hugging them. "We're preparing a meal fit for kings. Oh! Here you go…" She had a bright smile on her face when she handed them each a cookie wrapped in a napkin. "Careful, they're still hot." They each accepted the treat and quietly thanked her.

"Hey! Don't go spoiling my dinner by giving out desert first." Rossi grumbled.

"Oh hush. It's just a cookie.", she bit back.

Morgan boldly reached over and snatched a cookie for himself.

Hotch stepped in saying, "Why don't you go check out the rest of the house okay?"

He and Morgan stayed in the kitchen while JJ and Matthews lead the boys back toward the entrance of the house. They walked up the wide staircase leading up to the second floor and JJ showed them the master bedroom, the bathroom and a spacious office. Spencer looked with wide eyes at the many books in the room.

Matthews took over from there. "Your rooms are right across the hall from each other so you'll always be close. We made sure to get both of you large enough beds so that if you ever want to sleep together there's enough room." They turned into the bedroom on their left. "Riley, this one is yours."

The walls were a deep evergreen an the rest of the room was made up of browns, oranges and yellows. There was a full size bed with a dark wooden frame toward the middle of the room. Next to it was a matching night stand and a bedside lamp. On the next wall there was a large round window where you could see the front of the property. In front of the window was a wooden desk that matched a bookshelf and the rest of the furniture in the room. Opposite the bed was a large closet with shelves. Riley noticed that the closet was full of a variety of clothes and shoes in his size. "I don't remember ever having this much clothes."

Matthews smiled. "The girls all went shopping for both of you. I hope everything fits alright." Then he noticed Spencer staring out the window, seeming detached from what was going on. "Spencer?" he called. The boy looked at him for a second before averting his eyes. Riley closed the closet door and turned to face him as well. "Would you like to see your room now?" Matthews asked.

Spencer nodded his head and JJ lead them across the hall to Spencer's room. The first thing he noticed was the nice lady. Alex Blake. She stood in the doorway of his closet with a small bundle of hangers in her hand. "Hello." She greeted with a smile. "You all have perfect timing, I just finished in here. What do you boys think of your rooms?"

Spencer had a hard time taking his eyes off of the woman. But at last he looked around what was to be his bedroom while Riley answered Alex. The furniture was set up similar to Riley's room. The color scheme however, was very different. The walls were painted a deep blue color, while all of his furniture was a sandy off white. The window in his room was wide and square. It overlooks the backyard and a mother in law they hadn't yet seen.

Alex spoke again. "What about you Spencer?" he turned to see that she was standing almost right next to him. He looked her right in the eyes and smiled. She smiled too and made the sign for 'Wonderful'.

"What's the house in the back for?" Riley asked while he looked out the window.

"Well, that's for the Blake's." JJ answered.

That got Spencer's attention. He looked to Alex hopefully. 'You're going to live here too?' he signed. "I will soon." She signed as she spoke. "Our job is… demanding. My husband and I will be here when the team is called away on cases." "But I thought you worked with them." Riley questioned. "I do. But, with my husbands help I've decided to go back to teaching. I'll be retiring fro, the Bureau next month."

'You're a teacher?' Spencer signed. "Alex nodded. "My husband too." Spencer felt torn. He liked Alex from the first time he saw her. She read to him, from one of his mother's favorite books. She signed. She smiled. She was a teacher. Like mom… but she had a husband. And the husbands were always the worst.

Before Spencer could think too deeply on the subject, Alex spoke again. "Well I don't know about you guys but I'm hungry. Let's go eat huh?"

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During dinner everyone talked. Clearly it would be a long process when it came to making the boys feel like part of the family. But answering questions was a good way to put their minds at ease. "Did you live in this house before?" Riley asked Matthews.

"No I actually just stayed wherever work took me. This is one of Morgan's renovated homes." Matthews answered. "You built this house?" Riley asked impressed. Morgan's response was, "Well it was a rusty old house that wasn't livable. So I decided to buy it as a project and fix it up a bit." "A bit? Sounds like more than just a fix to me." Riley said.

"Renovating is the act of improving, repairing or completing a structure. Like fixing a park bench that's already there. Of course renovating a house would be much more complicated than fixing a few hinges on a bench. It's different than building but it still takes a great deal of work and skill." Spencer hadn't even looked up. He went to continue eating as if he hadn't said a word, but he froze at the silence around the table and he could feel the others looking at him. He gently placed his fork down instead of taking another bite. His head bowed down and his eyes closed. His breathing picked up and after a moment he mumbled a very quiet, "I'm sorry."

Riley looked worriedly at his friend and reached under the table to grab his hand. The adults weren't sure if they should be more surprised by Spencer's lengthy definition, or the sudden fear that had taken him over. "No need to be sorry Spencer." Matthews said softly. "That was very well put.", he complemented with a smile. Spencer kept his head down and shook his head back and forth.

Alex was sitting across the table from Spencer. "Hey." She cooed. "What's wrong Spencer?" When there was no response Alex looked to Riley. Before she could even ask a question he started to explain. "Sometimes people think Spencer's being a smart ass. One of the families he lived with would even punish him if he said anything at all. That was before high school. He's hardly spoken since. Except to me and… Brooklyn."

There were quiet sighs and glances around the table. And of course, Garcia looked fit to cry. Alex stood up and walked around the table to crouch beside him. "Look at me honey." Spencer shook his head again, so Alex sent a glance Riley's way for help. "It's okay Hush, I promise it okay." Riley said.

Slowly, Spencer opened his eyes and looked to his left where Alex was. The tears in his eyes were enough to make her heart ache. "There you go. You're safe now okay? No one is going to hurt you. You're not scared of me are you?" she asked. He thought for a moment, and shook his head 'no'. "That's good. I'm happy to know that. We're all here to help you two and nothing bad is going to happen to you with us around. I promise." Spencer stared in awe. He believed her. And for once he actually felt like things might be okay.

He looked down and took a deep breath to gather his nerves. Then he timidly reached out his arms to hug her. She accepted it immediately and squeezed him tight. When they finally pulled away Alex wiped a tear from his cheek and kissed his forehead as she stood to go back to her seat.

"You have some of the most experienced profilers in the world as your shield. And Morgan? He's a big slab of bulletproof meat and hell will freeze over before he let's anyone hurt you boys." Rossi said.

"Bulletproof meat…" Morgan mumbled before he took a big bite of pasta. Matthews stifled a laugh. "Keep it up kid." He pointed with a grin. Matthews cleared his throat and took a drink of water. "Rossi's right though. I'm a pretty strong guy and I wouldn't let anyone hurt you." Morgan said with confidence.

Both of the boys nodded and Riley thanked everyone for their support. Spencer finally went back to eating like everyone else had.

Riley asked Matthews another question. "So you actually bought a house for us to live in?" "Actually Rossi did." JJ answered before Matthews had a chance. "He's rich." She whispered loudly. "Ha ha ha." Rossi replied. "Sometimes I feel like I have more money than I know what to do with and I figure helping out the family is the best way to spend it."

"By family do you mean us?" Riley asked. Rossi nodded his head. "I sure do. The whole team. And that includes you kids."

"Rossi buying this house is good for all of us really." Matthews explained. "Morgan gets paid for his property, Garcia and I have a place to look out for you boys and Alex and her husband get to live in the back house." "And we all get to feel good about something." Hotch added. "We see a lot of bad things in out line of work. Most of the time there's nothing we can do to make things better. This time, we're able to make a difference."

"Do you have a family Agent Hotchner?" Riley asked.

Hotch stilled for a moment. "My wife passed away. But our son Jack is 8 years old now." "I… I'm sorry." "That's okay. Everyone deserves to have a family. I hope you know, that now you have one."

JJ chimed in and told the boys about her husband and her young son Henry. They talked until their plates were clean, and every cookie was devoured. Once everyone had gone home, the boys changed into brand new pajamas and climbed into Riley's bed. They decided to sleep together until they both felt comfortable in their new surroundings. They both fell asleep within minutes of laying down. Knowing that this was the first night of their new life in a new home.

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 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Well! It's been quite a while but I'm back at it my friends. This is the sequel to my story 'The Pact'. You'll definitely want to give that one a read before you take on this story. (And if you've read it already you may need to reload it for the sake of some changes I made) I suffered some serious writers block when it came to where I wanted this story to go. I hope you enjoy what I've come up with! I'll make sure to update as frequently as possible. Please, please, please review! I really appreciate the feedback.


	2. Bonding

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 **AUTHOR'S NOTE :** **Hello readers! Here's the next chapter of my story. Hope you like it. It's kind of a slow fluffy chapter but it will heat up in a while if you're patient. The next chapter may have a small time skip. I'm also working on another Criminal Minds fanfic so feel free to give it a look! Please Reid and reveiw.**

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 **Chapter 2: Bonding**

Spencer was the first to wake up the next morning. Riley was splayed out next to him snoring lightly. He eased his way out of bed, careful not to wake up his friend.

He wandered out into the hallway and tiptoed past the master bedroom where he knew Garcia would be sleeping. When he reached his destination he smiled.

The office was very roomy and there were bookshelves on every wall. Most of them were filled with technical books on psychology, sociology, and statistics. There were also several collage textbooks on law and criminal justice. He also noticed a group of books written by David Rossi. He paused wide eyed. Had he really met a well praised writer and didn't even know it?

He scanned the next book case and found a collection of poems, short stories and essays by various authors. Proust caught his eye. This was the book Alex had read to him in the hospital. He picked it up and hugged it to his chest while he continued looking.

He was also impressed by the variety of fantasy and sci-fi novels. It made him wonder who all contributed books to this library. Surely they didn't all belong to one person. By the time he was done he'd carefully selected 4 more books before setting his limit.

He thought about going back to Riley's room but the welcoming room he stood in quickly changed his mind. Two comfortable looking chairs sat by a window and on the opposite side was a large desk that was neatly organized. As nice as the room was, it was clear that it wasn't quite finished yet. There were stacks of books on one side of the room and paintings leaning against a shelf on the floor.

Spencer gently set the books he'd selected down and knelt on the floor to take a closer look at the paintings. The first few were beautiful sceneries painted with calming colors. But the last one he came across was different.

It was wild and expressive. When he looked at it, he could almost the battle taking place before his eyes. Four small birds were fighting a vicious looking snake that had coiled around their nest. The snakes mouth was open wide and it looked ready to strike with it's sharp fangs. Spencer felt anxious just looking at the picture. He felt that it somehow spoke about his life.

"John James Audubon." said a voice from behind him.

Spencer quickly looked up to see Matthews standing in the doorway in his PJ's.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Matthews said with a kind smile.

Spencer smiled back and then gestured to the painting.

"Oh." Matthews came forward and sat on the floor next to Spencer. He was surprised and pleased that the boy stayed put and there were no visible signs of anxiety. "This is a print of the Northern Mockingbird. It was made in the early the 1800's by a wildlife painter named John James Audubon. He loved to study birds, all kinds of birds really, but this one really stuck with me." He picked it up and held it out, admiring it.

"Why's that?" Spence asked. "Well…" Matthews started. "Partly because it was a gift from a very dear friend of mine. When he gave it to me, he said that no matter how small we may feel, we're powerful when we stand together. He helped me to be brave and eventually, how to trust people. He was kind of like a father to me."

"Where is he now?" the boy asked. The man sighed and set to picture down again. "I don't know. He left a few years ago. I always imagine him happy somewhere, but I don't know where he went. Or even why he left." Silence lingered for a while.

"My dad left too." Spencer said. "He didn't even say goodbye." Matthews looked down at him sadly.

"You know," Matthews started. "there's still a chance we can find your dad. Garcia is really good at finding people." Spence froze at the thought. "Even when they don't want to be found?" he asked. "Yeah, even then. Maybe you haven't lost him forever."

"Yes I have…" he said quietly. "He doesn't love me anymore. He won't want me." Matthews frowned. "What? Why would you think that?"

Tears started to form in Spencer's eyes but he quickly blinked them away. "Because that's what he told me. He stopped being nice."

Matthews had decided not to question Spencer about his father until he felt more comfortable. But seeing that the boy had been opening up to him, he decided to ask, "Spencer… did your dad ever hurt you?"

Spencer nodded. "He had problems. He drank a lot." He paused for a moment as if contemplating telling the next part. "Yelled at me. Sometimes he hit us. Then one day he just left."

Matthews sighed. "I'm sorry Spencer." Spencer looked up at him. "I'm sorry for you too."

After a few minutes of looking at the picture together, Spencer asked a question in a quiet voice. "Do… Uhmm.. Do you think the birds survived?" He was curious about his interpretation of the painting.

Matthews looked at the boy and nodded. "I do. I think that even though they were probably terrified, these birds stuck together and fought to protect their family and their home. And when I imagine what happens next, it's calm… and beautiful. "

Matthews then asked. "What about you Spencer? What do you see happening?"

Spencer had a very different interpretation. In his mind the snake sunk it's teeth into one bird, killing it and throwing it down. Leaves and feathers fell as it snatched up the next bird and devoured it. The eggs were crushed, the sparrows were demolished and all that remained was that wicked snake. It was like the story of his life.

Finally Spencer shook his head. "Everything good disappears. Only the bad is left." Spencer stood up and sighed. "The birds are dead. In my case anyway."

Matthews looked up at him, seemingly concerned. "What do you mean in your case?"

Spencer considered not answering the question but he decided to explain.

"All the good things… they're gone forever. My parents. My friends... Even myself. People think I'm stupid because I don't talk very often and I don't show my personality. I get scared all the time, and sometimes I have these fits, but… I can't help it…" He paused to think about how to explain the relevance to the picture. "Nice people stop being nice and mean people just get meaner. The birds are dead and only the snake remains. Bad is all that's left."

Matthews got off of the floor and stood next to Spencer. "Hey. There is good left. I know it seems like things can never get better, but they will. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but we're gonna work really hard to make a better life for you and Riley okay?" He gently placed his hands on the kids shoulders, making sure to exaggerate every move. "You can be yourself here Spencer. No one is going to punish you or hurt you in any way. And we will never stop treating you with kindness."

Spencer met his eyes.

"I know you don't believe me right now, but that's okay. Trust takes a long time and a lot of work to build. But you'll see. Despite the bad things, there is so much good left for you Spence."

Spencer just nodded his head, acknowledging that he heard and understood what was said. But Matthews was right. He wasn't ready to believe it.

"I see you chose some books." He picked them up and looked at them before handing them to Spencer. "You're quite the reader aren't you?" he asked. Spencer nodded.

"Well you're welcome to read any books you want. Garcia and I will use this office for work sometimes but you boys are always welcome in here, whether it's for reading, homework or just to hang out."

"Homework?"

"Yeah. We'll start you two up in school after you're settled. You don't have to worry about it right now though, okay? We have time."

Spencer smiled. "Okay." Aside from the occasional run in with bullies, Spencer really enjoyed school. However, in his most recent years he hadn't felt challenged at all. He hoped that would change this time around.

"Good morning boys." Garcia chirped from the doorway. Riley stood behind her rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He saw the books in Spencer's arms and smiled. "Back at it again with all the books huh?" Spencer smiled and nodded. "What did you get?" Riley asked, walking over to him.

Garcia pulled Matthews out to the hallway while the boys talked. "He was talking to you?" she whispered.

"Yeah, he really opened up after a while. It's gonna take some time but I think he'll be able to trust us eventually." They peeked in at the boys and saw that Riley was looking for a book to read himself. Spencer held one up to him and they both laughed at the title. It was the most relaxed they'd seen them since the beginning.

"We're actually doing this... OMG this is gonna work!", she whispered excitedly. She gave him the happiest and most beautiful smile Matthews had ever seen. He smiled back at her before nervously clearing his throat. The thought of actually having a real family, after so many years alone, made him feel like flying. It felt impossible but also invigorating.

Garcia saw Matthews start to blush and swiftly rose up on her toes and kissed one of his flushed cheeks. She giggled at his shocked expression before bouncing over to the door. "Well I don't know about you but I'm ready for breakfast. Wanna help?", she asked.

The boys were now sitting in the two chairs by the window. Spencer was sliding his finger down each page before quickly turning it. She wondered what he was doing, but before she had the chance to ask, Riley popped up from his chair. "I'd like to help." he said. "Hush is gonna read for a while."

"And I'm gonna go take a shower and call Blake." Matthews said, dismissing himself. "I'll be down after that."

"Okie dokie." Garcia gestured for Riley to follow her and the two headed down the stairs. "Do you like pancakes?" she asked. "Not especially. I haven't had them for a long time but they always seem to turn out too flat and kinda plain." Garcia laughed. "Well I'm about to show you how to make the sweetest, fluffiest, most buttery pancakes you'll ever eat."

Together they gathered ingredients into a bowl and Garcia had Riley whip the pancake mix while she made hash browns.

By the time they started flipping pancakes, Riley's demeanor changed. "Something wrong?" Garcia asked. Riley shook his head. "No… Yeah… I just, really miss my dad." Garcia smiled sadly.

"We used to make pancakes all the time." He huffed a laugh. "They were always gross. We never got the mixture right so we always ended up at this old diner. They had the best milkshakes." He went quiet and placed another finished pancake on the serving plate.

"I just don't understand why my dad died, and people like Rick are still alive. Good people die all the time and wicked people just go on living and destroying everything and everyone in their path." He slammed the spatula down.

Garcia fully understood his anger. "I know it's not fair Riley. I felt the same way when I lost my parents and it still hurts. Just know that there are still good people out there. And you know what else?" She turned him to look at her. "There are lots of people that make it their jobs to stop the bad people. Like my team. Our team."

"We never had good foster parents. The only people that ever cared about us are gone. I just… what if you decide you don't want us, and then you're gone too?"

"Oh honey.. We would never ever do that. I know it's scary but this is just the beginning. Just give us some time and you'll see that you have a real family. We're here for you. You're okay now."

"Spencer acts like he's okay, but he's not. Neither of us are." He whispered.

"You will be." Garcia knew there was nothing else she could say. So instead, she pulled him close and wrapped him in a hug. After their long embrace, Riley looked at her with teary eyes and forced a smile. "Thank you. For taking us in I mean." He picked up the spatula and put the last pancake on the plate.

"We're never gonna let you down you know that? You're stuck with us, forever." Garcia playfully bumped Riley with her hip and giggled. "Come on. Let's set the table so we can eat."

By the time everything was done, they had buttery pancakes, hash Browns and eggs loaded with bacon and veggies.

"Blake will be over in any minute. Wow!" Matthews said as he entered the room. "When you said you were making breakfast you really meant it." Spencer silently entered behind him, fully dressed in new black jeans and a white t-shirt. He closed the book in his hands and held it at his side when his eyes locked on the pancakes.

"Well we are still celebrating aren't we?" Garcia said with a grin.

Matthews made a beeline for the coffee and the boys sat next to each other at the table. Just then Blake entered the house with a call of, "Hello!" a few moments later she emerged from the hallway. "It smells amazing in here." She said. Spencer smiled at her. "Sure does.", said a deep voice behind her.

Spencer's smile slowly faded when a man entered the room and stood next to Alex. He was somewhat tall with an average build. He had brown hair, peppered with grey and his smile seemed genuine. The kindness in his eyes surprised Spencer.

"James, good to see you again." Matthews stepped forward and they shook hands. "Thanks, you too. Hi Garcia, I see you went all out this morning."

"But of course! My family deserves the best.", she winked.

Alex took her husband's hand and looked to the boys. "Spencer, Riley, this is my husband James." Riley stood from his spot and greeted him with a handshake before sitting back down. Spencer remained seated and said nothing. It was clear that the boy wasn't sure what to think yet. James smiled at him and gave a small wave, knowing not to touch him unless he initiated the contact himself.

"It's nice to meet you both." He said as he sat down.

They all talked about this and that while they ate breakfast.

When finished, Garcia and Riley excused themselves to go get dressed for the day.

Matthews cleared the table and stared loading dishes into the washer, leaving Alex and James at the table with Spencer.

Alex discretely looked to James, encouraging him to say something. Not knowing what to say, he asked, "So Spencer, how do you like it here?"

Spencer thought for a moment and opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. So instead of answering, he shrugged uncomfortably and rushed to the living room. Alex and James shared a sad glance with Matthews before following Spencer.

He was sitting in the corner of a large armchair with his knees nearly to his chest. His fingers slid down each side of the open book he was holding before turning the page and doing it again. The couple sat on the couch across from him and watched silently for a few minutes.

James glanced at his wife before speaking up. "What are you doing?" he asked.

Without looking away from the book, Spencer quietly said, "Reading."

"Oh.." James mumbled. "You're making pretty quick work of that book. What's it about?" 'Must not be too interesting if he's just flipping pages', he thought to himself.

"I read pretty fast. This one's about a boy that runs away from home to find a better life. He gets lost in the woods and falls in a hole."

"That sounds kind of scary. Are there any pictures?" Alex asked.

"No. There's no pictures, but I can see it. When he wakes up he's in another world. It's kind of like a dark version Peter Pan. The world he falls into is scary, but it's not bad like where he was before." Spencer closes the book and looks at the couple. "Besides, he has the power to make it better. At least, I think he does." He mumbled, looking down at the book. "I haven't finished it yet."

"From the looks of it you'll be done pretty quick." Matthews said entering the room and sitting in the chair opposite Spencer. "Didn't you just choose that book this morning?" he asked. The boy nodded hesitantly. "And when you" Matthews imitated the way Spencer slid his fingers down the pages. "Can you actually read that fast?"

"Our conscious mind can process sixteen bits of information per second. Our unconscious mind however, can process eleven million." Spencer watched anxiously as the others in the room exchanged questioning looks. His felt less nervous when he saw Riley peek around the corner and smile at him. He decided to answer the question differently. "Yes, I… I can actually read that fast."

Riley entered the room and stood next to the chair Spencer was sitting in.

He greeted the others with a wave before asking, "Already on your second one huh?" He took the book from Spencer's hands and looked it over. "Did you like the first one you read?" Spencer smiled and nodded. "This one looks cool. Can I read it when you're done?" Riley asked, handing the book back to his friend. "Yeah. I'll be done by tonight. I think you'll like it.", Spencer answered.

"That's a pretty incredible skill you have kiddo." James said. "Can you remember everything you read?" Spencer nodded. "I remember everything." 'I can't forget even when I want to.', the boy thought.

"Sounds like you may have an eidetic memory. Or photographic." James stated.

"Have you ever had an IQ test?" Matthews asked.

Spencer shook his head no. "I don't believe that intelligence can be accurately quantified. Besides, like I said earlier, most people think I'm stupid, so why would anyone test me?" he asked.

"You're not stupid Hush. You're brilliant." Riley said firmly.

"You very well may be a genius." James added.

"I'm not a genius. I'm not even smart." Spencer said quietly.

"Yes you are honey." Alex said sweetly.

Spencer looked at her nervously. "You don't…. You don't think I'm… retarded."

Riley looked down at him sadly.

She gaped at the question. "No. I don't, not at all." She shook her head. "I know people treated you like you didn't understand things, but that's because they didn't know you. And they weren't able to see what was really going on." She explained. "We know you're smart, you're brave and you're so strong." He smiled at the complement.

"We'll get you both tested before we put you boys in school okay?" Matthews asked. "See what's going on in those big brains of yours." Spencer looked at Riley and thought for a moment before nodding his head. "Okay."

"Oh! My sweet boys bonding!", Garcia exclaimed.

Alex cleared her throat and Garcia grinned at her. "And girl."

The rest of the day was much the same. The new family talked and bonded over stories and sweets until dinner time.

After eating, Alex and James said their goodbyes and headed home. They already felt a strong connection to the kids. So they were both excited to be moving into the back house soon. Alex felt happy tears in her eyes at the thought of having kids so close to her heart. "Ethan would've liked them.", she whispered.

"I know honey." James kissed the side of her head and guided her to the car. "They would've liked him too."

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